Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme

Master photo-essayist McMillan finds fetching fun in a few feathered friends as he pairs likenesses of two avian species with rhyming, two-word captions. Inhabiting literally opposite ends of the earth, puffins (from the North Polar region) and penguins (native to Antarctica) share an endearing gawkiness, and McMillan's unadorned, crystalline photographs capture surprising humor and personality in the simplest of situations. Spreads alternate between the two varieties, presenting both single subjects and groups in representative activities-``Puffins walk. Puffins squawk. Penguins brawl. Penguins call.'' The black-and-white birds' orange-toned beaks and feet lend intense splashes of color to the stark backgrounds-gray sea and rocks, clear blue skies, green grass. Though technically not of a feather, these birds flock together to provide an inviting nature study. Ages 2-6. (Mar.)